$47,000
Zao Wou-Ki (French/Chinese, b. 1921) Abstract in Green Signed and inscribed in Chinese and dated "54" l.r. Watercolor on paper laid down on board, 8 1/2 x 10 1/2 in. (21.6 x 26.6 cm), framed. Condition: Not examined out of frame. Provenance: A private New England collection. N.B. Zao Wou-ki's paintings are a fusion of a Modern Western aesthetic and Chinese painting tradition. Wou-ki was born in Peking and studied both Chinese and Western painting at the School of Fine Arts in Hangzhow. He moved to Paris in 1948 where he was exposed to the work of the preeminent artists in Paris including Matisse and Cezanne. Wou-ki embraced the developing trend of abstraction and was particularly drawn to the lyricism of Paul Klee. He uses the element of color to create mass while his use of ink references the calligraphic elements in Chinese art. The blending of Wou-ki's cultural and artistic identities can be seen in his signature; he signs his first name with Chinese characters and his last in the Roman alphabet.
Auctioneer:
Skinner
Date:
2007-05-18
